Barcodes used to track library books are becoming obsolete.
All nine libraries in the Marathon County system are changing to an RFID system, which stands for radio frequency identification.
The RFID tags are being placed into 350,000 items throughout the libraries.
"One of the main reasons we're going to RFID is because our circulation has increased in the last two years, it's increased about 22 percent. This year currently we're up about 12 percent," said Mike Hartkopf, customer service manager at the Wausau location.
The new system will allow for faster check in and out, and make it easier to find an item.
Hartkopf says that will free more employees to help customers' growing needs.
And they can check in an entire pile of items at once, rather than scanning each item individually.
He hopes the new system will be ready to use by the end of the year.
Updated: 05/08/2013 - Every Wednesday we meet an adorable animal from the Humane Society of Marathon County in need of a loving home. This week, we met Hayden.
